Penn State needs to establish K.J. Hamler as its go-to receiver

Penn State needs to establish a go-to receiver, and redshirt freshman K.J. Hamler is the guy.

Too often this season, Trace McSorley has spread the ball too evenly among the Lions’ receivers. No one has had more than 6 receptions in a game, and that’s happened only twice. Juwan Johnson caught 6 passes in the season-opener, and Miles Sanders grabbed 6 out of the backfield last week.

Through seven games last season, players had 6 or more receptions in a game seven times. Saquon Barkley had a game with 12 catches. In a three-game mid-season stretch, DaeSean Hamilton had two 100-yard games that came with team-highs of 9 and 6 receptions. In six of its first seven games, Penn State had either a 100-yard receiver or someone with at least 6 catches.

The loss of Barkley, Hamilton and tight end Mike Gesicki to the NFL left huge holes to fill in the passing game. But if Hamler takes firm command of the lead role, Penn State’s disconnected passing game can get in sync.

What’s happened so far, however, is analogous to the Golden State Warriors getting every player in their rotation the same number of shots. Why would the NBA champs want Quinn Cook and Shaun Livingston shooting as much as Steph Curry and Kevin Durant? In the Warriors’ most recent game, Curry, Durant and Klay Thompson shot 59 times. The other two starters shot 4 times. No one on the bench took more than 6 attempts. That’s as it should be; it works. Golden State beat Washington 144-122.

It’s not a perfect analogy, but it’s a fair one. Great offense in any sport, these days, revolves around super stars. A team needs a couple players who can take over a game or draw so much defensive attention that it opens things up for others.

Hamler seems to be the guy most capable of becoming such a player among Penn State’s receiving corps. No one else among the wideouts has displayed his combination of speed, instinct and athleticism. He and Sanders — along with McSorley — should be Penn State’s go-to offensive players.

The 5-9, 173-pound Hamler leads the team in receptions (22), receiving yards (401) and receiving TDs (5). Still, that’s barely 3 catches per game. His 93-yard catch-and-run touchdown against Ohio State showed just how electric he can be, as did his 32-yard touchdown run against Pittsburgh. But he’s had only one other rushing attempt, four games with less than 4 catches and four games with less than 50 yards receiving.

It’s time for offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne to remove the training wheels — for Hamler and the offense in general. Last week against Indiana should be the last time Hamler is held to four touches for 27 yards.

One of those touches against the Hoosiers was a slip-screen that got Hamler the ball in space. He worked back to the middle and was taken down by an excellent solo tackle, gaining 5 yards. It was a great play call, because it was all but certain to get those 5 yards and had a chance to break for a big gain. Two problems: the play-call came on third-and-10, and Rahne never went back to the play again.

At a media session a couple weeks ago, head coach James Franklin said Penn State’s pass plays — other than screens — aren’t designed to go to a particular receiver. McSorley just looks for the open guy.

Well, one way or another, Hamler needs more touches. As he proved with his 58-yard return of last week’s opening kickoff, he’s pretty good in space. McSorley should be looking for him on screens and slants in addition to shots downfield. Rahne needs to draw up such plays and run them more often. If somethings works, run it again. And again.

Rahne took a step in that direction last week with Sanders, who had 6 catches for 54 yards against the Hoosiers after having only 2 catches for 2 yards in the previous three games combined.

Johnson, despite too many drops, brings experience and needed size. Second on the team with 21 catches, the 6-4, 230-pound junior is locked in as Penn State’s possession receiver. True freshman Pat Freiermuth has taken the starting tight end job and settle in nicely.

There’s been a lot of mixing and matching at the third receiver spot. Outside of the Kent State game, senior DeAndre Thompkins has but 3 catches for 23 yards. Junior Brandon Polk hasn’t had more than 2 catches in any game. He dropped two passes, one in the end zone, while being shut out last week. Freshmen Mac Hippenhammer and Cam Sullivan-Brown have gotten some opportunities.

With all the moving parts, McSorley hasn’t found the comfort level or chemistry he had with previous years’ skill players. He completed 20 passes in the season-opener, and hasn’t reached that number again.

The prescription: a bigger dose of Hamler. He needs to improve on getting separation against man coverage and finding soft spots in zones. Rahne needs to accelerate the process by finding novel ways to get him the ball.

Saturday against Iowa, the forecast calls for rain and a high temperature of 45 degrees. Throwing deep balls won’t be any easier than it was in the wind and cold last weekend in Bloomington. And the Hawkeyes are playing some pretty stout defense lately.

Getting Hamler the ball on short and mid-range throws, a lot, might be Penn State’s best bet — in this game and moving forward.

Luke Glusco

Luke Glusco is a Penn State graduate and veteran journalist. He covers Penn State and occasionally writes about other Big Ten programs and topics. He also serves as the primary copy editor for Saturday Tradition.